From the Rolls-Royce experimental archive: a quarter of a million communications from Rolls-Royce, 1906 to 1960's. Documents from the Sir Henry Royce Memorial Foundation (SHRMF).
Chassis 3.CM.73 detailing a broken near-side rear spring and subsequent axle damage following an accident.
| Identifier | ExFiles\Box 146\5\ scan0089 | |
| Date | 11th January 1939 | |
| Handwritten (red ink): MARTINDALE Please see me re these spring failures Handwritten (pencil): 1245 Tm To Rolls-Royce Ltd Derby............. Copy to Rm.{William Robotham - Chief Engineer} Handwritten: Hd.{Mr Hayward/Mr Huddy} Sr. is absent Levallois VA.2/ET.11.1.39 Re: CHASSIS 3.CM.73 - Mr. WEISBLAT -------------------------------- The above car was recently involved in an accident during which the hub of the rear n/s wheel received a very hard blow, which shifted the axle backwards, owing to the main leaf of the near side rear spring having broken as the result of the impact. Upon examination of the car, we observed the following: I - The rear n/s spring had broken at the front end near the spring eye. 2 - There is a deep cut in the n/s rear axle tube, owing to it having rubbed against the axle rebound strap. We are at present fitting a new axle tube because, apart from the above, the tube is slightly bent. We understand from the driver that he drove the car for some distance after the accident, in order to get to Paris, and this naturally caused the axle tube to suffer in the manner described above. You will have observed from Report No Nice-7I that a similar thing occurred very recently on chassis 3.CM.39 (Mr. O.{Mr Oldham} Homolka), only on this car (3.CM.39) the trouble was caused through the failure of the rear off-side spring leaf. As you will probably remember, the rear off side main spring plate failed near the spring eye on chassis 3.CM.9I (Thiel) reported in our Report No.77. We thought that the above should be pointed out to you. As soon as we receive the broken spring leaf from Nice, we will send you the spring eye end for examination. VA. | ||